1. Field of the Invention
The systems and devices relate to telecommunications, computers and communication terminal devices and central digital switches. In particular, it relates to local PBX and computer systems and to those related terminals associated with both PBX systems and to communication service provider services including, but not limited to call forwarding, call waiting, caller identification, voice box, short message service, and conferencing services. The field of art additionally relates to communication terminals such as digital hones, PDA's, two-way pagers, computers, and Network Service Provider Services and methods.
2. Prior Art
There have been many new remote services added to telecommunication systems in the last fifteen years; the more notable automated services being caller ID (CID), call waiting, call waiting caller ID, call forwarding, remote access call forwarding, three-way calling, last call redial, call blocking, and voice box capability. In addition, multiple-line phones (e.g. two-line, four-line, etc.) are available to replace the more sophisticated LPS systems (as defined below) for small businesses, as well as the home. In the last ten years, LPS have become a commodity because of the digital computer revolution, but the LPS still require multiple-line installation at the user's facilities.
Telecommunication switch technology has advanced so that “soft switches” are digital control points where “switch” call features can be added or subtracted by the communication service provider using software programs. However, the multiple lines associated with the legacy PBX still require multiple lines to be pulled to the customer location (either separate lines or a multiple-line trunk, such as a T1 line) where an LPS must be installed to distribute the lines to various local terminals.
In the case of mobile phones, such services as roaming, and the ability to have several numbers associated with the same mobile phone, are also available with limited success. One approach taken by the wireless industry is to give a user several phone numbers that can ring on the same phone. The Nokia 3360 model device, for example, has this capability for three lines. Theoretically, the Nokia 3360 model can answer three phone numbers associated with the phones Electronic Serial Number (ESN) if the service provider assigns the customer three numbers. However, the customer must set the phone to one of the three numbers they want to use, which defeats the whole purpose of having three active lines. Also, actual experience with this approach has not been successful because the numbers are tied to the terminal ESN and cloning detection software programs have made the phones inoperable in many cases. Thus, in the past, the ability to have several numbers ring one or several phones and let the customer know which phone number has been called, was only available with the LPS system designs (unless the customer lets the lines roll over at the CSP and, even this feature would not be available).
With the growing mobile society, the need for multiple phone numbers ringing at several customer terminals at different physical locations simultaneously so that the customer knows which terminal was called, is a growing need. In accordance with the present invention, a single RPS computer could provide LPS services to 10,000 multiple-line customers rather than 10,000 customers each being required to buy their own LPS system.
FIG. 1 depicts the element architecture for prior art LPS systems where multiple-line incoming or outgoing connections are directed from an LPS computer located at or near the customer's various phones or terminal units. In FIG. 1, a customer with n phones 130a to 130n can be connected by the customer's LPS computer 115 via lines 120n to 120n to calls by n callers 101a to 101n via lines 102a to 102n connected to the arty's respective CSP 105. The customers LPS system 115 is connected to the customer CSP (also at 105) via lines 110 when calls are established. The newer LPS systems allow customers to direct their terminals to other terminals in the LPS when they are at other locations without notifying the LPS master operator. Also, several phone services have been developed to aid the mobile worker such as “Emma the Perfect Secretary” offered by Preferred Voice Inc. at www.preferredvoice.com to overcome the many limitations of an LPS. “Emma the Perfect Secretary”, for example, will let the LPS forward incoming calls to the last number provided by an LPS terminal user. However, this service will not automatically tell the user who is calling or tell them which line is being called.
Also, the prior art communication terminals have made many advances in the last five years and most all have displays to show the user who is calling and other stored information. However, these terminals have not been modified to detect and display inbound PBX information about the line being called, for example. They also have not been modified to send outgoing PBX information to the CSP such as telling a CSP which line to use when making an outgoing call.